Bite plane finder and former



June 26, 1962 R. M. HESS 3,040,432

BITE PLANE FINDER AND FORMER Fil ed June 8, 1959 & W

1NVENTOR5. Robe/7 /72 #655 United States Patent BITE PLANE FINDER AND FORMER Robert M. Hess, 3006 Tracy, Kansas City, Mo. Filed June 8, 1959, Ser. No. 818,801 Claims. (Cl. 32-19) This invention relates to a device for use by dentists and dental technicians in connection with the making of a denture in a manner to not only aid in the forming of the bite blocks of such set of artificial teeth, but in finding the proper bite plane thereof, and more particularly, to aid in the finding of the right relationship of the central teeth of the denture to the smile line or bite plane.

It is the primary, object of the present invention to provide an inexpensive, simple and compact device for establishing an accurate level and smooth bite plane on both the maxillary and the mandibular bite blocks in a minimum amount of time without need of training other than the skill of the dentist or the dental technician.

Another important object of the present invention is the provision of an appliance of the aforementioned character that permits the forming of parallel bite blocks with a high degree of accuracy and with a substantial saving in time predicated upon the fact that in all normal endentulous mouths, the hamular notches are equal in depth, and the retromolar pads are equal .in height with the bite rims or blocks measuring substantially 40 millimeters vertically.

, In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a bite plane finder and former made pursuant to my present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view thereof illustrating the device as used in connection with a mandibulary base plate of a denture.

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view showing the device as used in connection with the maxillary base plate of a denture.

'FIG. 4 is a fragmentary, perspective view showing the manner of using the device with the maxillary base plate after certain teeth have been mounted thereon; and

FIG. 5 is an enlarged, fragmentary, detailed crosssectiQnal view taken on line 55 of FIG. 2.

The device forming the subject of the invention illustrated in the drawing is broadly designated by the numeral and includes a flat, rectangular panel 12 made from a metallic or other heat-conducting material having, therefore, a pair of opposed, flat, parallel faces 14 and 16.

Proper use of the device 10 as hereinafter described,

is facilitated by the provision of a handle 18 at one end of the panel 12 and, therefore, there is provided an angular lip 20 onone end of the panel 12 integral therewith and to which the handle 18 is attached as by rivets or other fasteners 22. It is to be noted that the lip 20 forms an acute angle with the face 14 of the panel 12, whereas flange 24 is in perpendicular relationship to the opposite face 16 of the panel 12. Flange 24 forms an integral part of the panel 12 at that end thereof opposite to. lip

20 and has a length that is co-extensive with the width.

of the panel 12.

An elongated median slot 26, extending longitudinally of the panel 12 is formed in the latter adjacent the lip 20 and serves to permit adjustment of a pair of interconnected pins 28 and 30 toward and away from the flange 24. Pins 28 and 30 are L-shaped, presenting there fore, legs 32 and 34 respectively, perpendicular to corresponding faces 14 and 16 and terminating in pointers 36 and 38 that are substantially parallel with the faces 14 and 16 and extend toward the flange 24.

A stud 40 in the-slot 26 interconnects pins 28 and 30 and, therefore, relative rotation of the pins permits "ice loosening of the same for longitudinal adjustment along the slot 26. d

Prior to the use of the device 10 in the manner contemplated by the instant invention, and as illustrated in part by FIGS. 24 of the drawing, an impression of .the gums (not shown) is taken in the usual manner through use of an impression tray and a positive model is thereupon run from such matrix. of the gums. Upper and lower stone models are designated by the numerals 42' and 44 in FIGS. 3 and 2 respectively of the drawing. Thereupon, a base plate is made to fit the model, the maxillary base plate being illustrated in FIG. 3 of the drawing and designated by the numeral 46, whereas the numeral 48 designates the mandibularybase .plate in FIG. 2. v

Bite rims or blocks 56 and 52 are next formed on base plates 46 and 48 respectively and in so doing, the hamular notches of the model 42, as well as the retromolar pads of themodel 44, are left clear. One of such notches appears in FIG. 3 and is designated by the numeral 54 and one of the aforementioned retrornolar pads is designated by the numeral 56 in FIG. 2 of the drawing.

When the blocks 50 and 52 are complete, the relationship between the device 10 and the various parts of In the same manner, as seen in FIG. 3, face 16 of the panel 12 engages and completely covers planar surface 60 of the bite block 50 in parallelism therewithand, flange 24 spans the distance between and fits into the hamular notches 54. In this instance, the pointer 38 fits into the highest point in the labial roll of the model 42 on one side or the other of the labial frenum muscle.

On the first trial, the dentist or technician placing the;

panel 12 against the surfaces 58 and 66, can estimate rather closely the amount of trimming of the bite blocks 50 and 52 necessary to establish approximately therelationship shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. Thereupon, through use of a flame 62 or other heating medium, the panel 12 is heated and placed on the surfaces 5 8 and 60 to melt down the wax material from which the bite blocks 50 and 52 are made until the panel engages the notches 54 and the pads. 56 asthe case may be, and until the pointers 3-6 and 38 fit into the corresponding labial rolls as above described. After the slightmelting away of the bite blocks 50 and 52 has been completed, the surfaces 58 and 60 will be in absolute parallelism when the two models 42 and 44 of the complete denture are subsequently placed in an articulator.

Furthermore, the two bite rims 50 and 52 will form a perfect 40 millimeter vertical bite, since such is the distance between the terminal ends of the pointers 36 and 38.

The normal vertical dimension for the rim 52 is established at 22 millimeters since such is the distance between the terminal end of pointer 36 and the face 14. By the same token, the proper vertical bite for the rim 50 is established at 18 millimeters, the distance between face 16 of panel 12 and the terminal end of pointer 38.

By the provision of the slot 26 in the panel 12 and, therefore, the adjustability of the pins 28 and 30 toward and away from flange 24, the device 10 is adapted for use in connection with dentures of any size.

The device 10 is also usable in subsequent setting of the teeth after the bite blocks 50 and 52 have been removed from the models 42 and 44 and discarded. The procedure is to first set the two central teeth 64 in correct position, to thereupon position the two laterals 66 properly, and to finally set the two cuspids 68 in proper position, all as shown in FIG. 4 with respect to a maxillary model 70. The flange 24 is placed in the hamular notches of the model 70 and face 16 of the panel 12 is brought into engagement with the centrals 64. The technician can thereupon visually determine whether or not the laterals 66 and the cuspids 68 form the correct smile line, thereby eliminating optical illusions quite common in setting the anterior teeth.

The same procedure, not shown, may be followed in setting teeth with respect to a mandibulary model resulting in an assurance of an even and level plane in the complete set of teeth.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1; For use in connection with the making of a denture having a maxillary and a mandibulary model, each provided with a labial roll and each having a base plate mounted thereon, the maxillary model having a pair of hamular notches and the mandibulary model having a pair of retromolar pads, there being a bite block mounted on each base plate respectively, a device comprising a panel having opposing flat faces, one adapted to engage each block; a flange extending laterally from one of said faces; and a vertically fixed, horizontally adjustable pin on the panel extending outwardly from each face respectively, each pin terminating in a pointer spaced from said respective face, one of the pins fitting into the labial roll of the maxillary model and the flange fitting into said notches when said one face engages the block of the maxillary plate, the other pin fitting into the labial roll of the mandibulary model when the other of said faces engages the block of the mandibulary plate and said pads,

2. For use in connection with the making of a denture having a maxillary and a mandibulary model, each provided with a labial roll and each having a base plate mounted thereon, the maxillary model having a pair of spaced hamular notches and the mandibulary model having a pair of spaced retromolar pads, there being a bite block mounted on each base plate respectively, a device comprising a panel having opposing flat faces, one adapted to engage each block; a flange extending laterally from one of said faces; and a vertically-fixed, horizontally adjustable pin on the panel for each face respectively, each pin terminating in a pointer spaced from said respective face, one of the pins fitting into the labial roll of the maxillary model and the flange spanning the distance between and fitting into said notches when said one face engages the block of the maxillary plate, the other pin fitting into the labial roll of the mandibulary model when the other of said faces spans the distance between the pads and engages the block of the mandibulary plate.

3. For use in connection with the making of a denture having a maxillary and a mandibulary model, each provided with a labial roll and each having a base plate mounted thereon, the maxillary model having a pair of spaced hamular notches and the mandibulary model having a pair of spaced retromolar pads, there being a bite block mounted on each base plate respectively, each block having a planar surface, a device comprising a panel having opposing flat faces, one adapted to engage each block; a flange extending laterally from one of said faces; and a vertically fixed, horizontally adjustable pin on the panel for each face respectively, each pin terminating in a pointer spaced from said respective face, one of the pins fitting into the labial roll of the maxillary model and the flange spanning the distance between and fitting into said notches when said one face engages said surface of the block of the maxillary plate, the other pin fitting into the labial roll of the mandibulary model when the other of said faces spans the distance between the pads and engages said surface of the block of the mandibulary plate and said pads, said faces being parallel and completely covering corresponding planar surfaces in parallelism therewith.

4. For use in connection with the making of a denture having a maxillary and a mandibulary model, each provided with a labial roll and each having a base plate mounted thereon, the maxillary model having a pair of spaced hamular notches and the mandibulary model having a pair of spaced retromolar pads, there being a bite block mounted on each base plate respectively, each block having a planar surface, a device comprising a panel having opposing flat faces, one adapted to engage each block; a flange extending laterally from one of said faces; and a vertically fixed, horizontally adjustable L-shaped pin on the panel for each face respectively, each pin extending laterally from its corresponding face, terminating in a pointer extending toward the flange, one of the pointers fitting into the labial roll of the maxillary model and the flange spanning the distance between and fitting into said notches when said one face engages said surface of the block of the maxillary plate, the other pointer fitting into the labial roll of the mandibulary model when the other of said faces spans the distance between the pads and engages said surface of the block of the mandibulary plate and said pads, said faces being parallel and completely covering corresponding planar surfaces in parallelism therewith.

5. For use in connection with the making of a denture having a maxillary and a mandibulary model, each provided with a labial roll and each having a base plate mounted thereon, the maxillary model having a pair of spaced hamular notches and the mandibulary model having a pair of spaced retromolar pads, there being a bite block mounted on each base plate respectively, each block having a planar surface, a device comprising a panel having opposing flat faces, one adapted to engage each block; a flange extending laterally from one of said faces; a vertically fixed, horizontally adjustable L-shaped pin on the panel for each face respectively, each pin extending laterally from its corresponding face, terminating in a pointer extending toward the flange, one of the pointers fitting into the labial roll of the maxillary model and the flange spanning the distance between and fitting into said notches when said one face engages said surface of the block of the maxillary plate, the other pointer fitting into the labial roll of the mandibulary model when the other of said faces spans the distance between the pads and engages said surface of the block of the mandibulary plate and said pads, said faces being parallel and completely covering corresponding planar surfaces in parallelism therewith; and means mounting the pins on the panel for movement toward and away from said flange.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 808,602 Fergusson Dec. 26, 1905 1,636,304 House July 19, 1927 1,942,701 Hilton Jan. 9, 1934 2,249,651 Gilbert July 15, 1941 2,301,358 Ballard Nov. 10, 1942 2,541,434 Nelson et al. Feb. 13, 1951 

